


And if I go and prepare a place for you

by Signe_chan



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-14
Updated: 2013-12-14
Packaged: 2018-01-04 15:07:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1082467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Signe_chan/pseuds/Signe_chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” </p><p>Dean's life comes to an end but it's not all bad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And if I go and prepare a place for you

“Oh, hello!” the nurse said cheerfully as she opened the door for him. 

“Hello,” Castiel said, stepping self-consciously through into the foyer. It was aggressively cheerful with pastel pink walls and water colors and a small plush couch for guests to wait on. The first few times he’d visited he’d sat there, waited until they were ready for him, but now everyone knew him. “I’m sorry it’s been a couple of days. How has he been.” 

“The same as always,” the nurse said with a sweet smile. Her name was Kirsty and she has a good, innocent character. She genuinely cared for her patients and it made Castiel glad to leave Dean in her care. “He’ll be glad to see you, I bet.” 

“Has he noticed I didn’t come?” Castiel asked. He knew the answer in the slightly grown that creased Kirsty’s eyes before she confirmed it. 

“Not really. I mean, he didn’t say anything. But he doesn’t talk much when you’re not here. 

“It’s fine,” Castiel assured her. “I wouldn’t want him to miss me. Is he in the day room? Can I go through?” 

“Of course,” Kirsty said, brightly. “You know the way and you’re always welcome. I wish other family visited as much as you did. We can never have too many visitors around here.” 

“Of course,” Castiel agreed, wondering again how exactly these people thought he was related to Dean. He’d never specified. When Dean first came here, Sam had still been alive to sign his admission papers. Now there was just Castiel but he’d been coming for so long that nobody questioned his place as Dean’s side. 

He left smiling Kirsty in the entrance and stepped through to the residents part of the building. Here, the aggressive scent of bleach was more easily detectable under the apple scent meant to disguise it. The familiar halls still reminded Castiel vaguely of a hospital, though less so than some of the homes they’d viewed when it first became clear Dean couldn’t care for himself anymore. At least they tried, here, to disguise the lengths they went to just to keep these bodies running. 

Dean was sat in his usual place by the window, looking out absently. He was old. Castiel tried to visit every day, he felt like he should be used to this but somehow in the interval between visits he always imagined Dean as young and bright and full of purpose and it shocked him again each time to see the old man left behind. 

He knew Dean had never thought he’d live to be an old man. Castiel was still glad that he had. 

“Hello, Dean,” he said, moving to kneel on the floor to Dean’s right as he always did on these visits. Dean’s eyes swiveled to him absently and then, when he realized who it was, he smiled. 

“Hey, Cas,” he said, voice slow and scratchy. “Fancy you coming round here.” 

“I came to see you,” Castiel said. The familiarity of the exchange seemed to calm Dean and he relaxed, bringing a hand scarred with liver-spots down towards Cas. Cas reached to meet him reverently, kissing Dean’s knuckles. 

“I’m sorry it’s been a few days,” Castiel found himself saying, though he knew Dean hadn’t noticed. “I’ve been busy.” 

“You’re always busy,” Dean said, a hint of annoyance in his voice though he didn’t move his hand. “Better have been something really important.” 

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” 

“Whatever,” Dean said, eyes, moving back to the window. “Is Sammy with you?” 

“Not today,” Castiel said. He’s stopped reminding Dean of his brother’s death years ago. The little shock of pain each time was too much. Dean didn’t remember now, it was kinder to let him think that Sam was well and would come to visit any day. 

“He’s a busy guy too,” Dean said, gently rubbing Cas’s palm. “Hey, did I ever tell you about the time with the werewolf?” 

“I’d like to hear it,” Castiel said. He’d heard it a million times before but he didn’t lie. He liked to hear Dean’s stories. Even the ones that didn’t make any sense any more, key details lost to the wasting of his brain. Dean smiled like Cas had hung the moon, not just agreed to listen to a story, and launched into his retelling and, like a disciple, Castiel listened. 

***

Dean blinked awake, slowly drifting into the reality of the comfortable chair and the warm hand on his own and then, just like that, he was awake. It was like years of cotton wool fell away to leave him looking around, confused and instinctively reaching for a weapon that wasn’t there. 

And then he noticed Death sat across from him and all the fight went out for him. He was dead. He hadn’t died fighting after all, then. He couldn’t remember a lot for, well, a while, but he knew enough to know he’d gone peacefully. Probably the only thing he ever did peacefully. 

“Hello, Dean.” 

“Hey,” Dean said, shifting in his seat. “Guess you finally caught up with me.” 

“I’ve been waiting for you for a while now,” Death said with a fond smile. “You were always stubbornly determined to cling to life.” 

“Guess nothing lasts forever,” Dean said, standing. As he did he had the weirdest sensation of leaving his body. He looked back at the thing - just a thing now. Old and used up. Cas still knelt behind him but under Dean’s gaze he stirred, looking around and then, somehow, he seemed to change. He grew more real, in a way, as the world around them fell back becoming less so. 

“How nice of you to join us, Castiel,” Death said. Castiel smiled and nodded. 

“Hey,” Dean said, reaching for Cas. Cas stood quickly, bypassing the hand Dean held out to him and pulling Dean into a hug. Dean almost pulled back but there was a kind of desperation to the way Cas was holding him and it wasn’t like Death was going to have an opinion anyway. 

“I’ve been waiting for you,” Cas said, loosening his hold a little. “I promised I would.” 

“Yeah, you did,” Dean agreed. “Didn’t expect it to be this long though. I mean, it has been a long time, right?” 

“It doesn’t matter,” Cas said, which was as good as if he’d said yes. “You were cared for and happy and now you’re here.” 

“I am,” Dean agreed, gripping Cas’s arm. “Is Sam…” 

“He’s waiting for you,” Death said. “I collected him some time ago, also at the end of his natural life. I believe there are many people waiting to meet you.” 

“Heaven’s changed a lot since the last time you were there,” Castiel said calmly. “There’s more movement, it’s not just memories so you’ll always know you’re not just stuck in a memory. But, to be sure, I made a space for you. A place you can call you own that isn’t a memory at all.” 

“That’s awesome, Cas,” Dean said, and damn if he didn’t feel a little choked up. They’d talked about it some when hell had been properly shut down and it became pretty obvious the only way for a soul to go was up. He couldn’t be stuck in a loop of happy memories, even the happiest ones. He should have known Cas would take care of it. 

And, really, there was nothing to do but lean in and kiss Cas. Felt like the first time in forever. Cas responded hesitantly. They’d always been so careful but, fuck it, he was dead and if he wanted to kiss his stupid damn angel he could. 

And then Death was clearing his throat and Cas was stepping back. 

“I’ll meet you there,” Cas said, looking over his shoulder. “I have one last thing to do.” 

“Alright,” Dean agreed. He turned to look at Death, this time following gladly when Death gestures for him to follow. He’d lived a hell of a lot longer than he’d thought he would, time to get his reward. 

***

Kirsty was coming off shift but she wanted to check on Dean and Castiel one more time before she went. They’d been quiet all day, Dean dozing in the chair and Castiel sitting by him. When she got to the day room she was surprised to find Dean’s chair empty, no sign on Cas. She’d been stood in the hell, they couldn’t have got out. 

She made all the right calls, there was a search but she never saw either of them again. However, a week after they vanished a vase of the most beautiful flowers was left for her at the front desk and nobody could remember how it got there. The card just said ‘thank you for everything’. 

***

Castiel burnt Dean’s body where he’d burnt Sam’s all those years ago. It was a largely symbolic gesture, he knew Dean wouldn't be coming back here but he thought the hunter would appreciate it. He waited under the flames died down and the ashes grew cold to mix them in to the earth and then, finally, he turned and went home.


End file.
